An analysis of how economic decisions regarding purchasing are made in the N.H.S.

Like many multi-million pound organizations, with a number of operational levels and a multitude of delivery points, decisions regarding the purchasing of goods and services in the NHS are made in many different ways. In 1985 the total expenditure of the NHS in England alone was in excess of 9,000 million pounds and, that, 6,8000 million pounds was spent on salaries and wages for staff. The majority of the remainder was spent on goods and services with a small proportion through specific National or Regional contracts. Much of the purchasing, therefore, is in the hands of personnel at Unit level and below.